Mark, just wondering why the alternating or doubling up of Tylenol and Ibuprofen is no longer recommended? And when did that change come about, because my pediatrician still recommends it if fevers are at or over 103.

We no longer use Motrin in this household, as we suspect it is at the root of a problem my son has. When ill, he consistently runs a fever between 103 and 105. It's gotten to the point where I can tell what his temp is by looking at him. There are times he spends entire weeks getting in and out of a lukewarm bath to bring it down from 105. That's scary enough, but more frightening is what happens when the fever breaks. He screams and thrashes, hits his head with his hand and bangs his head on things for as much as 12 hours at a time for between three and six days. It's been almost a year since his last "episode" (he just turned three), which was the most unnerving; I brought him outside hoping for a distraction and instead he got down and started banging his head on the asphalt driveway. No reaction to the pain while head-banging, by the way.

Last time this happened we asked him about it. He had only just started talking, and he told us he had wax in his head and was banging his head to get the wax out. Not that he has more language I wonder what he would tell us. We're hoping he's outgrown it and we won't have occasion to ask!

Sorry for the tangent. Anyway, operating under the theory that the Motrin is triggering this behavior, we don't give it to him and have no intentions of trying it out on his baby sister. I've always heard that ibuprofen can be bad for little ones, but Tylenol is considered the "safe" one; so thanks for clearing that rumor up!